Baton Rouge native Scott Woodward is the new LSU athletics director, after spending the last four years leading the Texas A-and-M athletic department. Matt Doyle talked with a Lone Star State writer about what to expect…
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The latest data from the Louisiana survey shows how Louisiana residents feel about recreational marijuana and sports betting. Kevin Barnhart has the story.
Cut 2 (31) “I’m Kevin Barnhart.”
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Baton Rouge boy Scott Woodward is coming home to take over LSU Athletics after a four-year run as Texas A&M’s Athletic Director. Woodward made a big splash in College Station by hiring football coach Jimbo Fisher and basketball coach Buzz Williams. Robert Cessna with AggieSports.com says he’s a real winner.
Cessna also praised Woodward for his work on getting a softball stadium ready in time for the senior class.
LSU tried and failed to lure Fisher in 2015, but Woodward sealed the deal a year later with a ten-year, 75 million dollar deal. Woodward will be tasked with beating a school he just helped rebuild, but for now he’ll do it with a coach he didn’t hire…
The LSU/A&M rivalry has been heating up over the years, and last year exploded in a physical altercation between coaches at the end of a controversial Tiger loss to end the regular season. Cessna says get ready for an even more heated competition.
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The latest data released from the Louisiana Survey shows majority support for both legalized sports betting as well as the legalization of recreational marijuana use. LSU Public Policy Research Lab Director Dr. Mike Henderson says sports betting received support from 59% of residents while recreational marijuana received the approval of 55% of residents.
Henderson says there is a big generational gap on recreational pot support. A majority of support comes from younger residents. 80% of those ages 18-29 support the idea of legalization, but those 65 and older showed a 69% opposition.
Legislation to legalize sports betting in Louisiana is up for discussion in the session. Governor Edwards has voiced his support for the activity. Henderson says in addition to the latest data, there is a history of public opinion in the state that would indicate support.
Cut 8 (12) “…support for this”
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A tornado watch is in effect for this afternoon for much of south Louisiana, a portion of central Louisiana and delta parishes in northeast Louisiana. National Weather Service meteorologist Mike Efferson says the big concern is that the unstable atmosphere has the potential of producing strong tornadoes…
Cut 9 (08) “…part of the area”
A strong line of storms is making its way across Louisiana. Efferson says tornadoes are the biggest threat, but we can also see other forms of severe weather…
Cut 10 (08) “…pretty significant.”
Efferson says the area covered by the tornado watch is under an enhanced risk of severe weather…
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Ground has been broken on the 450-million dollar Comite River Diversion project. It’s a 12 mile long canal running from the Comite to the Mississippi River, diverting water out of northern East Baton Rouge Parish waterways that present a flood risk for E-B-R and Livingston parishes. Central Mayor David Barrow says it’s long overdue.
Locals have been paying taxes towards a diversion project since 1983, but the construction just kept getting pushed back as the state’s backlog of flood prevention initiatives grew larger and larger. Barrow says at least now there appears to be an end in sight.
The canal would run between the town’s of Baker and Zachary.
But the Mayor was quick to note that even after it’s completed, it’s still possible the area could flood, it just likely will not be as devastating as the 2016 event.
Construction is expected to be complete by 2021.